Dealing with anxiety attacks- finding the root cause

The first step towards overcoming and dealing with anxiety attacks according to Donna M. White MA, LMHC, of Psychcentral.com, is to identify what is triggering the attack by finding the “root cause.”

“Many therapists agree that this is essential for moving forward.In my experience, asking individuals to identify the thought or feeling that preceded the anxiety is often a great place to start. It may also be beneficial to think about what the environment was like. If anxiety seems to strike frequently or there seems to be no identifiable cause, keep an anxiety journal. Chart when the anxiety takes place, write down as much information as possible, and rate the anxiety on a scale of 1-10. Charting the anxiety may provide information about the cause and may show a distinct pattern. Once the cause is identified, try challenging the thought. If it is a fear of danger, stop and ask if you are in real danger. It should be noted that understanding the root cause may make anxiety easier to deal with, but it does not necessarily make it go away. If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, don’t be ashamed to seek help. For many individuals, finding treatment for anxiety is important. There are several options for treating anxiety – herbal or naturopathic remedies, medication, therapy, or combinations of those. A skilled doctor or therapist can guide an individual in finding the best treatment. Treatment enables to individual to make the necessary lifestyle changes to better deal with anxiety. In addition to treatment options there are also ways to help yourself. Anxiety is often triggered by perception. Perception can be altered by retraining the brain and challenging negative thoughts. This can be done in two ways: replacing the negative thought with a positive one or questioning the negative thought. For example, if the negative, anxiety-producing thought is “I’m going to perform horribly on my test tomorrow,” immediately replace that thought with “I will excel on my test tomorrow.” If done consistently, it will become second nature and often curb the anxiety before it gets out of control.”read original article

Dealing with anxiety attacks is not easy

As a veteran of anxiety attacks myself, I can attest that it’s not always easy to avoid an “anxiety meltdown.” Donna M. White goes on to say that much of the anxiety elimination process is “trial and error,” although I don’t agree with taking any type of pharmacological medications, as she suggests. It seems all too easy just to take a little white pill and have the panic poofed away. At first medications can seem beneficial for dealing with anxiety attacks but in a few years your doctor would warn you: “Do not stop taking the drug,” because your doctor knows that the anxiety attack to follow would be of epic proportions! Facing your root problem head on is a natural first step and a safe way of effectively dealing with anxiety attacks.